[2] The soldiers of the Bangladesh Rifles had grievances over their salaries, living conditions and greater opportunities for deployment in UN Peacekeeping Missions.

A day before the event on 25 February 2009, the disgruntled soldiers met General Ahmed and some of his commanders and urged them to raise their grievances with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at or after the function.

Despite repeated attempts by General Ahmed to the civilian government to improve the living standard of the soldiers.

[3] On 25 February, during the daily morning parade when Ahmed was taking the salutes, a soldier with a gun (stolen from the secured official stock) attempted to shoot the general.

Meanwhile, some of the mutineers shouted out loud to wake up, and every soldier inside responded to the code which initiated the mutiny and left the Darbar hall ignoring commands from their senior officers to stay put.

According to a number of surviving witnesses General Ahmed said I will not abandon my officers here, we must know why the soldiers are going for a mutiny despite everything we have done for them and as army officers stationed here it's our duty to prevent such a mutiny and those of you who fear death, remember it will come eventually and if we die today, remember that we die serving the nation.

Finally the mutineers stopped shooting from outside and asked the officers inside to stand in a straight line and exit the Darbar hall, claiming that they would not be shot at.